MERS-CoV has emerged as a highly fatal cause of severe acute respiratory infection. Thousands of infections and hundreds of deaths have been attributed to the novel beta-coronavirus. As human-to-human transmission of the virus is not sustained, a large zoonotic reservoir may serve as a principal source for transmission events. The high case fatality rate, vaguely defined epidemiology, and absence of prophylactic or therapeutic measures against this novel virus have created an urgent need for an effective vaccine and related therapeutic agents.